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Idea: Artest to Phoenix.

I forget where I read it but I am almost positive I read early today or yesterday that the Suns have showed interest in Artest. Don't know how interested they are or if they made an offer but they do have some good pieces to work with.

A combination of Kurt Thomas/James Jones/Raja Bell and maybe Jim Jackson or Brian Grant to make it work financialy.

Pacers could add either Anthony Johnson, or Fred Jones, or Jeff Foster to the deal too.

Here is one example of a deal that might work:

To Indiana:
- Kurt Thomas
- James Jones
- Brian Grant

To Phoenix:
- Ron Artest
- Jeff Foster
- David Harrison

I don't know if Phoenix does this though. I know the reason they brought Kurt Thomas in there was to move Amare to the 4 and Marion to the 3 but with this trade Amare would be back to the 5 when he gets back next season so I don't know how they would feel about that. Plus they still have Boris Diaw to play too but I think he can play the 2, but full time?

What do you guys think of this deal or any deal with Phoenix? Anyone know if they are serious about getting Artest?

Re: Idea: Artest to Phoenix.

Before the Suns played their dream season last year, there were rumors they were shopping Marion. After last year, I can't imagine they would shop him now. As good as he is, he has a big contract. Marion recently expressed frustration that the Suns are not playing at a fast enuff pace. Maybe the suns would like some salary relief. Pollard and Artest probably works for Marion cap wise. I know it ain't gonna happen but the Marion frustration article is posted below.

Marion frustrated Suns aren't running at their desired pace

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 29, 2005 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - It avenged a loss. It was another road win. It was a game that ended with an 8-0 Suns run. But it was no feel-good win for Shawn Marion, who was as much of a standout as anyone in the fourth-quarter of a 104-99 comeback win at Washington.

The record says 17-10 and the standings say first place in the Pacific Division without two of their top players, Amaré Stoudemire and Leandro Barbosa, but Marion is not satisfied. He said the Suns' game pace has been too slow, and he is clearly frustrated with not getting more shots.

"We be walking the ball down the court," Marion said. "We don't play like we usually play. This ain't us, honestly. Even when we were winning, we weren't pushing the ball like we're capable of. We say we want to run, but we don't do it. We're getting stops, so I don't see why we don't run. Nobody wants to push the ball." advertisement

Marion was adamant that his fellow captain, Steve Nash, is doing his job of trying to speed up the Suns offense, but he said nobody is along for the ride. Nash didn't disagree.

"You have to look at the personnel and realize maybe it's not a great fit," Nash said. "If it is going to be a fit, it takes time. Guys have been playing a certain style for a long time. To come to our team and expect them to run their butts off every single play is breaking a lot of habits."

Marion said he and Nash get tired at times from pushing it, but that he could be scoring "a lot more easy if I had a few more opportunities." He is averaging 16.1 shots per game after averaging 15.9 last season.

He said it is "ridiculous" to run as many half-court sets as the Suns do, but acknowledged that it is not the same team "and we don't have runners like that."

"Everybody has to step up and want to push the damn ball," Marion said. "It (upsets) me the (expletive) off because we can get a lot of layups out there, but they're making the game so (expletive) hard. It's too easy out there. They make the game so (expletive) hard. All we've got to do is push the damn ball and we can get layups and easy threes like last year. Nobody wants to run, though.

"I could be under the (expletive) basket by myself and don't nobody pass or want to push the ball. Steve's the only one pushing it. He can't do it by himself."

Suns coach Mike D'Antoni talked about how the Suns looked like they were playing in mud in the first half, particularly when they closed the half by not scoring in the final 3 1/2 minutes. Phoenix went scoreless again for more than four minutes to start the fourth quarter. The first three minutes of that came with Nash out of the game.

"We can play the same pace we want, but some of that has to do with them (the Wizards) just crashing the offensive glass," said Raja Bell, whose team ranks 26th in the league for rebounding percentage. "You can't run if you can't get a rebound."

Re: Idea: Artest to Phoenix.

Before the Suns played their dream season last year, there were rumors they were shopping Marion. After last year, I can't imagine they would shop him now. As good as he is, he has a big contract. Marion recently expressed frustration that the Suns are not playing at a fast enuff pace. Maybe the suns would like some salary relief. Pollard and Artest probably works for Marion cap wise. I know it ain't gonna happen but the Marion frustration article is posted below.

Marion frustrated Suns aren't running at their desired pace

if marion is frustrated that the suns are going too slow, he would die here with out half-court offense

For Ron: Ron Artest needs to be on a contending team with vertern leadership, and with the suns he gets both. He also gets steve nash to deliever the ball, and gets the freedom to shoot as he pleases, which is exactly what he wants.

For Indiana: They get a solid defender is bell, a GREAT yound talented PG in Barbosa, and a pick in this years draft in the mid-teens. They add depth, and GREAT character to the team, and improve as a team, rather than taking a step back. They get exactly what they wanted out of the trade, while getting rid of a cancer.

For Phoenix: The reason it works for phoenix is simple. Adding artest will give the the BEST starting lineup in the league, while not having to sacrifice too much of their depth.

PG: Nash
SG: Artest
SF: Marion
PF: Amare
C:Thomas

With Diaw, House, Jones, and Grant coming off the bench, the suns would be loaded, with four legit All Stars. they would be right up there with S.A., and Detroit as the three elite teams in the league....